How to Survive a Winter Day in Schwedt/Oder, Uckermark

I haven't been away too often in the last weeks, mostly due to the unwanted and unexpected return of the harsh winter, which despite the shining sun, sent a minus two digits shock temperature making staying outdoors unbearable. Especially if you are not - like me - one of those winter lover, winter-proof kind of person, you better stay at home, planning your next escape, doing some more extra work and waiting for the spring. However, you can hardly keep me for too long indoors, and after carefully checking the weather forecast, a couple of weeks ago I've decided to make it to Schwedt, a town on my bucket-list since I've been to another place in the same Uckermark area, Lychen, the last summer.

In less than two hours from Berlin, with a 17 EUR two-way ticket, we arrive to Schwedt/Oder ready to discover a new destination. Formerly part of the communist Germany, this city is the biggest in the Uckermark region and displays a colourful mind-blowing sometimes mural art, which gives a completely different touch to the classical Plattenbauten, the standard blocks of houses typical for the German communist architecture. The one near Julian Machlewski Ring creates an interesting visual illusion that almost invites to enter the reality of the drawing and enjoy, maybe, at least a better weather. 

The city hall - Rathaus - looks also like part of a suprarealistic dream, displaying the vision of the German artist Siegfried Mehl about how the public institutions and citizens should be connected. An almost poetic dancing move from the street, through the files, until the demanding citizen. Hopefully this vision inspires the bureaucrats starting their daily shifts... 

We advance into the almost empty town looking for more interesting discoveries. The old cobblestone streets, bordered by one-storey buildings are part of a former main road aimed for tranportation of goods in the region a couple of centuries back. Vierradenerstraße, for instance, is full of historical references about the industrial trade past of Schwedt, worth a reading - in German - if you want to better understand the history of the local economy.

The typical red-bricked Brandenburg gates are a reminder of the old times, when trading was intense and the main central streets belonged to middle-class busy citizens.

The colourful mural art is everywhere, Schwedt being famous in the Brandenburg area, among others, for its exquisite collection of such works. 

But Schwedt also has a pretty intense cultural life, with the exhibition place at Galerie im Kietz open to local artists. Another cultural attraction for visitors is the Stadt Museum, useful if you want to understand more about the local history, where also a Jewish ritual bath - mikwe - can be seen. One day prior to my visit, the National Chinese Theatre has a show here, and regular conferences and events are taking place all round the year and the week.

The more time I spend on the streets of Schwedt, the more surprised I am about the colourful facades, a very inspired way to make life in a city less gray and a bit bubbling, regardless how far away from big attractions where history is made, you may be.

A walk on the shores is always a relaxing experience, that will not make you regret any single second to live in such a quiet place.

After a short cappuccino break at Karel Bakery, a very busy place with a view over the river, we feel more refreshed for the next walking legs of our trip.

And there is even more to explore. Schwedt/Oder is since 2008 National Park city, the first place in Germany to be assigned such a distinction. The reason why I wanted to come here is because I need so much to start hiking again, and this place checked all the boxes for the time being: close to Berlin, relatively easy, a beautiful landscape. You can also bike and jog around, and with simple sport shoes you can definitely reach the number of weekly healthy steps in less than a day. It is also a couple of kilometers away only from Poland.

The path is plenty of local people that also decided to walk this Sunday, some of them accompanied by dogs. When we cross path, we slightly nod towards each other. The solidarity of solitary hikers...

Hiding behind green fields, there are the traces of the recent history and its specific architectural patterns, with the industrial silhouettes.

The quietness of the frozen nature is overwhelming, and although the temperature was not very friendly, I succeeded to have a great reflective time, exactly what I expected from this trip.

While on the way back to the train station, I am again reminded that Schwedt means more than nature walking. The local theatre is another center of cultural life here, with visitors coming here all over the Brandenburg region to attend, especially in the summer, various theatre performances or concerts.

As I am counting the days until the spring and summer will allow me to discover another part of Schwedt, while exploring more from the National Park, another colourful elaborated mural reminds me that there is always something interesting to see around Berlin, and by far, Brandenburg and especially the Uckermark region do have many resources for a successful day trip.

For more inspiration, check the dedicated Pinterest board.

For more travel stories, follow my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilanatravels

Discovering another Uckermark Jewel: Lychen

We are walking through roads bordered by high trees which do not leave more than some patches of sky to light the way. Wherever we look, either to the right or to the left, thick forests are everywhere, enlightened once in a while by the glittering lakes. I am back in the Uckermark to discover another hidden jewel and I know from the very beginning tha spending a day here was just an invitation to return more often.

I've been in the Uckermark several times already: to Templin, Prenzlau and Angermünde and due to the short distances to and from Berlin, visiting there is always a good idea. Via Twitter, Tourismus Marketing Uckermark, recommended to check Lychen too, and shortly after checking some information about the place, I agreed that it goes well with my usual travel agenda.  

After passing near what probably once used to be a 'language school', now an abandoned building, in the way you can still find such constructions all over the former communist Germany area, we are finally to Lychen, which is around one hour away from Berlin.

Surrounded by waters, it is also called the 'Floating city' - or the Floßerstadt and I can't wait to check by myself the beautiful water pictures I've seen on the Internet when researching my destination.

The classical architecture keeps the usual shape of the buildings and uses the red bricked common in this part of Germany, but the monocromous red bricks are happily replaced with some variations of white which enobles the construction.

Every couple of street crossing, there are directions to more and more camping places or to big lakes. Or to boat renting, including solar ones, probably moved forward by the force of the natural light.

It is the end of August, and the smell of fresh red apples is wafting in the air from the small local orchards.

Colourful boat renting boots look like huge floating ships in the middle of the water.

The weather is lovely, with moderate temperature and sun all day long, without any threat of clouds and everyone look to enjoy staying outdoors, from the many tourists to the locals. The local cakes from the Kaffeepause are winking at me, but it is too early for a break.

Old remnants of the city wall are beautifully framing the main avenue, leading to the city center.

The pink city hall looks like a noble mansion waiting the evening to be surrounded by lights of massive chandeliers and elegant guests moving slowly to the main reception hall.

Most of the local restaurants, full with customers either locals or tourists, many taking a break from their biking tours, offer local dishes - I still to find out what does it actually. As a city where fishing and hunting are still regular occupation, I cannot expect too many vegetarian variation, as it is clearly written white on black on this board at the entry to this restaurant. 

Walking around the lakes is so refreshing and always a good opportunity to cut oneself a little bit from the usual hassle.

Boats seem to be an efficient transportation way around Lychen, as much as cars and bikes do.

Small windows surrounded by flowers growing wildly create a natural feeling of summer countryside.

I was heartly recommended to try for a coffee, or even more, Kaffeemühle, which looks like the cultural life center in Lychen. Locals and families with children and people biking from Berlin are together under the same summer sunny roof, enjoying a cup or a meal. Regularly, here are held various cultural events, from poetry evenings to concerts.

Besides the obligatory afternoon cappuccino, I wanted to try some special homemade cakes, and opted from the coconut mango which wasn't the best taste match, but was worth the try. 

Fully refreshed and refuelled, we continue the journey around lakes and small green forests. Living here might be hard during the long winters especially because the transportation could be difficult when the water is frozen, but nonetheless for the summer, it looks like a little corner of paradise.

In addition to lakes and forests, there are also big playgrounds for children, and even a park where one can practice some big cheese moves.

Museum lovers may be rewarded here too, with a small regional museum sharing knowledge about the flora and fauna of Uckermark and Lychen in particular.

So much water and wild nature is an invitation to romantic musings, therefore, fragments of poems can be found all over Lychen in the most unexpected places. Some are quotes from big poets like Heine or Goethe, but also by what seems to be local authors.

Besides the activities at Kaffeemühle and some yoga practice centers, the locals also can have some fun at the Altes Kino, running regularly box office movies for children and grown up audiences.

The silence of the empty cobblestone streets is so overwhelming, like time is in the balance before the switch of the seasons.

There are the small details which always surprise me during my trips. The colourful flower details on the windows remind me of some Transylvanian folk costumes.

By accident, we stumble upon the Haus Vogelsange, which offers almost everything: from bio cakes to some creative workshops, summer apartments and reading evenings.

As I am about to leave, there is an interesting small art shop on Fürtenbergerstraße which I would love to check but unfortunately is closed on a Sunday. Now, besides the pleasure of spending time exploring the lakes, I have one more particular reason to return to Lychen, maybe sooner than the next summer.

For more inspiration from Lychen, check the dedicated Pinterest board

Spring Western adventures in Templin

One year ago, I celebrated the beginnging of a beautiful spring day in Templin, and 12 months after I was back in the small Brandenburg city which is the hometown of Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel for exploring the other part of the city.

Shortly arrived in the train station, I headed direction Westernstadt, an adventure park that promises a lot of Western-like experiences. Although there is a bus that connects the city to this area, it works only during the week and thus, I had to walk a couple of kilometers. Luckily, the weather was nice and the road was quite sure. Close to a wood deposit, a train platform was presented as a possible attraction for visitors, but there were no one to give more information about tickets and schedule. Maybe later in the year...

After another half an hour of walk, I stumbled upon a small antiquities shop near the road, stuffed with everything, from old family pictures to metal garden tools and furniture.

Nothing compares though with the view of beautiful horses enjoying too the coming of the spring. In the quietness of the place, they offered a silently moving fragment of life and beauty.

But what is this noise? The serenity of the previous scenery was suddenly interrupted by the broken sound of repeated shootings. Hopefully, it was no war or frozen conflict getting heated nearby, I was just approachign the destination of my travel day: Westernstadt.

With most part of the activities taking place open air, the Western City is usually open from April to November, between 10am and 6pm. It has a huge parking place, as the car is the easiest transportation during the weekend, when the bus is on break. I arrived shortly before closing -something went wrong with my time management the whole day - but not late enough for not seizing the local ambiance.

There are different experiences offered to the big and small visitors, from photo boots where you can picture yourself and your family in the specific ambiance to live shows.

Beautiful horses are patrolling the sandy streets of the city, friendly enough for being approached by children.

Once in a while, one can also learn some country dancing steps. You are in El Dorado, after all...

Everything I go, I was more and more getting into the local feeling. Some colourful totems at a crossroad encouraged me to explore more the place instead of going down near the lake to see admire a quiet slice of nature.

If I would have been a child visiting Western city, it would be hard to resist the temptation to hide in one of these tents hidden beneath bushes. 

There is also a little animal farm and an adventurous playground.Don't forget about the golden washing places as being in El Dorado always involved the search for some precious gold. 

Just in case, if you need to defend your treasure, you can get some special shooting training for being ready to react against your enemies, just in case...In the saloon, the dark corners gives you intimacy and the time to think where can be the best undiscovered source of gold. As the closing time was getting closer, groups of parents and their children were heading to the exit and doors were locked behind. The silence was taking control of everything and sooner, the lack of movement will wrap perfectly the entire place.Remnants of some communist youth activities on a wall near the Westernstadt were reminding that Templin used to be part of the red part of Germany. But right now, there is the Western spirit who won and with the new constructions being built ahead, those times will be soon only history books memories. For me, it is about time to take the road back home, walking my portion of kilometers on the way to the train station. At mid-distance, I made a stop near a beautiful lake, that confirms the fame of Templin as the 'pearl' of the natural area of Uckermark.

 

The huge storks hosted on the top of houses kept me company most part of the hiking. Maybe I did not spend a full day in Western style, but at least I was back in time to check how the winter finally surrended to the sunny spring. See you in one year, Templin?

Disclaimer: I was offered a free entrance to Westernstadt, but the opinions are, as usual, my own.

For more pictures from Templin, check the dedicated Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/ilanaontheroad/templin-stadt/